Academics

Clinical Education: Year 4

The final year is made up of four external rotations, allowing you to participate in full time patient care throughout the week. During these final year rotations, you take responsibility for the clinical care of patients from start to finish, including helping to coordinate follow up care, write referral letters, and provide patient education under the supervision of clinical preceptors.

New England College of Optometry offers final year students a vast number of sites that are diverse in patient base and location. Although most students will complete part of the final year in the Boston area, opportunities for national and international travel are also provided.

Clinical Education Coursework, Year Four Rotations

Four rotations during the final year complete the clinical requirements, with mandatory assignments in Primary Care, Advanced Care and Specialty Care. Students choose an additional assignment in one of the mandatory categories or from a list of elective sites. The College currently has affiliated clinical sites located in over thirty states, Canadian provinces, and China. Student assignments are based on a variety of factors, including student choices and program needs.

The Office of Clinical Education monitors the quality and quantity of patient encounters for each student. All students must satisfy a minimum number of contact lens patient encounters during the course of their final-year assignments. Some students may be assigned to contact-lens-specific sites in order to assure a broad clinical experience. Clinical preceptors evaluate students twice per quarter with the expectation that all levels of performance will progressively increase throughout the year.